Should I Avoid the Sun or Bask in It?

There is a consistent contradiction about the role the sun plays in our lives. We hear of these great benefits that we gain by being in the sun. Then we hear of the ever-growing list of dangers. What do we do? Do we bask in the sun and enjoy it? Or do we avoid it and save ourselves from potential health issues? Do we use products, like vitamin packs from LumiBloom, to protect our skin and hair? Do we lather on the sunscreen? There is no easy answer other than moderation. Everything we do should be done in moderation and the sun is just one more thing on that list.

The Benefits of The Sun
It’s widely known that we need Vitamin D and the sun provides that much-needed vitamin. Of course, there are other ways to get it but straight from the sun is the best. It leads to better absorption of calcium and phosphorus which helps strengthen our bones. It helps babies grow stronger bones and it’s often easy to tell when a child is deprived of the sun by the way that they grow. The setting and rising of the sun helps regulate our sleep patterns by signifying when our body needs to rise and be ready to go and when to slow down for bed. Basking in the sun is also fantastic for brain development and improving memory. Essentially meaning that a lack of sun means you could have brittle bones, smaller children, bad sleeping habits, much higher risk of dying of heart disease, and a terrible memory.

The Dangers of the Sun
The biggest danger of the sun is damaging your skin. The sun ages our skin by dehydrating it and weakening the elasticity, thus causing wrinkles. Another top dangerous side effect is skin cancer. Prolonged exposure to the sun and multiple sunburns increase your chances of developing skin cancer. Additionally, if family members have had a history of skin cancer, you are even likelier to have skin cancer later. Most often, fair skinned and light eyed folks are susceptible to burns and skin cancer. However, it’s important to note that darker skin tones still need to protect from the sun’s harmful rays. Just because the skin tone is darker does not mean you cannot burn or slowly be harmed over time. No matter who you are, protection is key to keeping skin cancer and wrinkles at bay.

Just How Much Time Should I Be in the Sun?
So here we sit with conflicted information. On the one hand, we can see that sunlight is very good for us. On the other, it causes some serious health issues. So, what do we do? The secret to getting the sunlight your body needs is dependent on your skin type. For fair skin types, 10 minutes a day in tank top and shorts (in the summer) without sunscreen is enough to obtain the natural vitamin D you need. For tan and Hispanic skin tones, 15-20 minutes in the same clothes and without sunscreen is plenty. Far darker skin tones, you should only need 30-45 minutes per day. If you are outside for longer periods of time, that’s when you should break out the hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Whether you are wanting to maintain healthy, flawless skin, or making sure you are getting the vitamin D you need to improve your overall health, keeping your activities in the sun moderated is your best bet. Too much sun and you could get sick. Too little and you could break down with other health issues.